billin gs



F. C. BILLLNGS. MUSIC ROLL FOR PIANO PLAYERS, 8L0,

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18, E916. 1,194,811.

Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l wi/lmimo F. C. mums;

MUSLC ROLL FOR PIANO PLAYERS, @cc.

APPLICATION FLUID I1AL\'.!8,19S5. F 1,194,81 1 Yatented Aug. 10,1916

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

wuenhn w L If 6 1, MW QM gm UNITED sire: PAT hl l OFFICE.

1 1.1M m l/(me all; may; concern,

B: it known that I, Funneuici; C, Br m runs, a ci' izen of the Ui'iited1 ding at 'lllilwoulzee, county or? i' i 5 Stat of l \isc :isim have inrul lainrovemeuts in. Mu I r W "n W 01 which f itcs o inmrowzi'ncjnt u,d. et a Ever plane it he; mourn; wnere" i. (7 in s nchron si sage of theporters om i tracker lam would he dcsirah lo the rapid iuowemrn trzui hml U to Ll wet o yer the without lly in synprmluced (neon atlonzptsprovide such 'l'ot he learned lo the o l he read, iutelligihly i lIUSlOUand each note -12: chromium with the h the instrunwnt. hisve hm'otoim',liven. ii z'whord slu I ruti m*- lily the ru ing;

10 but no of 4 a g'naycr piano per 4 roll will mean wuitm lidltitli s4.13 follow li or wary type and the uccmluiany111g; words the song,heing displayed in complete synchronism with the waist? of therespective n "orutions with I nt l) l such it lllCFtSll r A the factthat measure to th Tocins; inuicz'zlm an. the IlOlieS cmun Uients oithe:

onshlcrulrl}; r

. MILWAUKEE,

WISCONSIN.

IZ L EIMKY ER $16G.

letters Patent Patented Au". 15,1916.

191$, Serial No. 85,015.,

a perforated sheet or music roll designed particularly for trainingbeginners in singing and in which the perforations, notes and. Words areso arranged as to register with the tracker liar, substantiallysimultaneously and in a manner to avoid confusion. i Fig. 3 is a View,similar to Fig. l, but adapted merely for use by soloists. Fig. 4c is aView, also similar to Fig l, but illustrating a variation in the scalefragments, notes and Words to suit the requirements of pieces which areplayed in quick time, the other views being adapted for slow timeproducmons.

Like parts are identified by the same reference cluzracters throughoutthe several views. v i

The portion of my improved music roll the left of the imaginary line a,a, coni rzns structurally and functionally with the ordinary music rollclesiqned for use in connection with player pianos and in which theperforations 1 vary in length in accordance with the length of thenotes, whereby the duration or the sound may be electrlcally Icontrolled in a manner Well known and understood by all. who arefamiliar With the arts relating to perforate music rolls or playerpianos Further description of this portion of the music roll istherefore deemed unnecessary. My improved music roll, however, hasahorller which prefc'ably comprises an integral portion B upon which themusic is printed in the following manner, whereby it may be readilyfollowed by any musician familiar with ordinary musical notation. fluorder that the music may be read. in synchronism with the operation ofthe player piano without confusion, I divide th stall into fragments.The initial. portion 5 contains the treble and bass clefs and anyconventional index matter all arranged in exactly the same form as in anordinary song book or music sheet. This portion of the staff alsocontains the initial note for each part to be sung or played. For eX-ample, if the music he a solo, one note in the treble clef will appear,and in such case, the bass clef and the portion of the staff pertainingthereto, will of course be omitted. But if the mus ai selection he aquartet, the i Litial. notes Wlil be arranged on the fragll, asillustrated in Fig. 1'. continuing the staff along in the manner inwhich i T m .uzontai the sound of said note by .in the drawings,

fragment 6 of the staff in. position, both longitudinally and laterallyoffset from the fragment 5, and each subsequentfi'agment of'the staff 7,8, 9, l0, 1]. etc, will he simultaneously. ofiset hoth fudinally andlaterally from the preceding iragment, each fragment p eferablycontaining but one note,althoitgh for quick time a plurality of shortnotes may be displayed on a single fragment of the stall", asillustratedin Fig.

All of the staff fragments pertaining to one measure are grouped, andthe initial and final fragments of the measure are co nected by a line15 which preferably enter longitudinally of the strip to position inline with thctop line of the final fragment of the measure, said line 15then eat-ending transversely of the strip into cOnn ct-ion orsubstantial connection with said final fragments; It will a-lsobeobserved that the several fragments of the staff are so arranged thatthe initial fragments of each of the measures will belineally alinedupon the strip, the other fragments being successively offset in thesame lateral direction therefrom, and the final fragments of themeasures will therefore also be in :iineal alinement on the strip butdistant laterally from the line occupied by the initial 6 ments 'of themeasures. By this arrange ment I am enabled to locate cac'h' treble notedelineated on the portion 18 of the strip substantially opposite tothcinitial end of the perforation l in the portion A. of the strip whichcontrols the production of such note by the player piano.

lherefore the note as delineated upon the staff fragu'ient will hedisplayed over the tracker bar l ou sly or substantially simultaneou.

the instrun If all the fragments of the i lineally alined with eachother, not be possible unless the staff W on an exceedingly small scaleat the multiplicity of lines in continuous series would be confusing tosuch an extent that it would be impossible for an inay singer to readthe music. the staff fragments laterally,

it is obvious that tion of the staff may be read greater facility thanit can be ordinary music sheet or page of a'sonn" book. This is true,not only for themeason that each fragment of the staff is distinctl;separated from the preceding andisuc" fragments and ordinarily contains7 note or set of notes to he siniu sounded, but also to the. fact set ofnotes to he sounded are those which tracker bar which operates as find rtilcl thus select. for the singer the specific part to he sunr giventime. Therefore,

i even then even read from the or the miis'zt in ordinary printed theinstrument. I

away from the music has the place found for him by the instrument whenhe again looks to the music sheet for guidance.

Owing to the fact that the measures are unitary not only by arrangementof the fragments upon the shoot, but by the positive connection throughline my improvement greatly facilitates keeping time and accent, itbeing pomible for the musician to concentrate the mind upon one and onlyone portion of the printed music sheet or strip.

ll hile I have illustrated the several fragments of the staff as soarranged or printed upon the section B of the music roll as to l themedium of tit!!- taneously with the initial production of the sound bythe instrument, it will of course be understood that this specificarrangement is not absolutely essential, since some musicians may preferto have the note displayed over the tracker har slightly in advance ofthe sounding of the note by the instrument. This therefore is a matterof choice to be determined in accordance with the desires of the averagemusician.

Owing to the fact that the printed music may be more readily followedthan. in-the ordinary music sheet or book by reason of the linderfeature, whereby each note is displayed upon or in a definite relationto the tracker har simultaneously with the prothe instrument may b8COI1tI'OllGd at pleasure and the production of the music accelerated,retarded, stopped or the roll rewound from any desired point. Thereforeany given portion of the music may. be succesly re jiroduced forthebcnclit of the singer a; often as may be desired, l he singer a;-accomnani not only has a visual display 1;, 11') iar as any given noteor portion thereof is concerned, but for his additionl guidance the noteitself is simultaneously sounded by eferr iugnow to Fig. 2, it will be.ob-

seiredyl tat the entire musical scale is disi frayed in a sinzleineasurewith cachfrag merit of the scale containing one full note. The lateraloffset of each tragment from the 2 eceding is in this View comparativelyt is the notes are full notes and the per- :tir as 1' on the portion 2.of the sheet long, the several notes being produced in very slow time.

' 3 l have illustrated an L121 to that shown in Fig. I

arrangel but in unite with the time in which music to For slow timepieces,

be played. each fragment may be laterally will i: from the preceding:one in much l {)?()Pil'l1l0il the]: in the quiet: lime pie In thelatter, the lateral ellsetting; leatu 'e is preferably Mi-- eentusleihthe \niicms fi'agzjnients e f each member being Etll' lllg'l'lfid alongit line which has :1 much grea er lateral inelinutien, thus avoiding;the 001:? ion '"l .hll 1 WOlll l result if the fragments were lneufgl tclose l iIOQLHlHll l vi iesgwe'nd with the sequence elf slimtwilful-zit; s Will. mt iiiez'ensed lateral la sepzmitimi. The .etien mayalso be gagjed to indicate at a gglnnee the time in whieh the piece erany portion 01' it is tobe played. (h ring to the i Ylll hurt that myinventl templates the dis lay m each l l'it the musie in registry withthe trziclce the time the displayed notes ll'Q to be smmded" it is nlsedesirable that the words or syllables to be sung in neeui'npzmimentwith. the music shall be simultaneously displayed in substantially thesame relative position to the tracker her. The subdivision of eachmeasuz'e inte fragments enellles me te de this vitlumt dilf words bein Yprinted at one side be displayed frag ments each displayed word 0:?syllable llarw ing the note 01 set of netes which it represe'ts), piiupon the gment 0'? the stall in registry therewith. In'tlie illustratedembmlin'ieht of Ly inven ie the wilds or, syllables are 131" ltQCl at ti1 left of the i-espeetive sizli'l fmggz'zients and the sueeessivefragments in e211 1. measure 4, the initial fragments Qe- U left hand.peslitimii. in Tl 2n ngementlis we wanted as the n'msie may be moveeasily read hm left to l'lfl1l lJl lS ezu'b nst nee ion of re: 1 ll;will be uhsen l tl'iut my invention pre- (ides feithe ol? the ordinarystandard slat? .v'll'll eongentienally printed notss and that theinitial fragi'nent ef each measure linezilly alined with the initialfragments of the succeeding measures, the other fragments beingprogressively offset both lineally' and. laterally, not only fer thepurpose of transversely eliningg" than with the initial portions of therespective perforations re resenting tile nsl but else fer the purposeef enabling me to print the music in such in 111 thet it an, be. easilyread and to print hein g the 1mm;

the will? and syllables 015 the s to in thl" the several elements 01.Whether eemprising a mziy be printed in PM spending note and severalverses may fore be printed. upeii the same border out IJOKllEllSlOlL Thecem'espsntling el of eaelivei se are grouped adjacent note to which eachsuch elemei'it rela. es, ant 215 the smceessi (5 elements are eil'setlaterally as well as lineall in each measur itial Wei-Ll 01' syllable ineaqll be readily distinguished liei'n the ing elements and it will alsospliced :l'fi'enl the initial rel: le the pres mg; and sheet-filmsmeasures. I am tl3il:l ilZ() e1? only print the sevelwl fragw manner tomeid. any possible can but also to print the elements 01 meets thediil'ei'entlines er stzqnssu Kill a manner that several printedUphill/lie same eel-(le of T music sheet witheut dill of either'Wlilklllli notes, the perfemtiens or the other ilOlnGDtS the son Iclaim Li. A perlinute music sheet having selies 0f peritemtiens, eachadspte; to control the produetion oi a note in musical scale, and aniinperfm'ate border portion of RlCl at one side of the perforatedpoi-hen be" provided with a .n'msice stiillilivicled in fragments, eachof which is lllleilll? efi'set from these which immediately pieeetle andsucceed it, and ezieli. at which carries mete in a position to beexposed ever the tracker baa: of a, player piano substantially in Jlvelnrenism with the initial pertien 32m?- femtisn in the music sheetcontrol}ing the productien of the same note by the instru" ment, thelines of'snid. staff fragments being disposed transversely the sheet.

2 A perforate musie sheet, pi'oviile l with {in imperferzite borderportion having there'- on a musical stall subdivided irate fragmentseach prevklesly with s printed nets and with. said lire TilllZSeennectetl by greup lines form m lFl'L'6S -l1Cl1 of the frag-2 mentseomposing a i'nensnre lmvii its lines disposed transversely [XE thesheet lat ordinary DillltGCl music. Jemlly and llneslly ofiset from theatheist and the mitisil tragmen's of ths reassures;

bei ng li'nea'lly alined with each other.

A perforate music sheet provided with a border portion having thereon amusical staff having transversely disposed lines and subdlvmed intofragments, each fragment carrying a nete in a spe ifi miation t0 and 125 substantially alined vith a perforation in the sheet controlling theproduction on the instrument of the same note, said fragments beinggrouped to form measures having the initial and final fragmentsconnected by.

group lines, eachof the fragments composing' a measure being lineallyand laterally oif'set from the others.

A. perforate music sheet provided with aorder portion having thereon amusical scale having transversely disposed lines subdivided intofragments, said fragments beproduced by the corresponding perforations.

mg arranged in groups, each group constituting a measure, and theseveral fragments composing a group being offset f rom each other alonga diagonal line, -each fragment ca ying a note in a position-forexposure 0 .r the tracker bar of a player piano substantiailysimultaneously with the initial portion of a perforation controlling thepro duction of the same note by the instrument.

A perforate music roll for piano players, including the combination witha portion of the roll havin perforations, of a border portion, .provi edwith a musical scale having transversely disposed staff. lines,subdivided into fragments, with each fragment containing staif bars anda note and located on the roll above and laterally oz'fset from thepreceding fragment, lines connectin the fragments together in groups,

- each group constituting a measure, and each fragment beingsubstantially horizontally alincd with the initi portion of theperforation controlling operation of the instrument to produce the noteor notes appearing on the fragment.

6, A perforate music sheet having a series of perforations, each adaptedto control the production of a note in a musical scale, and a hordei'portion of said sheet being provided With a musical staff divided intofragments, each of which has transversely disposed sta-fi' lines and islineally offset from those which immediately precede and succoed it, andeach of Which carries a note in a position to be exposed over thetracker bar of a player-piano substantially in synchronisin with theinitial portion of a perforation in the music sheet controlling theproduetion of the same note by the instrument,

suit sheet having thereon printed Words or and the other fra" ingpositioned for successive exposure over the tracker bar substantiallysimultaneously With the notes carried by the fragments and 7.. Aperforate music sheet, provided with an imperforate border portion,having therenote corresponding in value with one of the )erforations andsaid fra ments being grouped to form measures, the initial fragments ofeach measure being lineally alined,

ients of each measure being progressively ollsct both laterally andlineally therefrom, said border being also provided with the printedWords of a song arranged with the elements of each "erse comprising aword or syllable, laterally 01fset in each measure and lineally alinedwith the corresponding elements of the other verses,.and also ar angedin. proximity to the corresponding staff fragment and note.

8. .A. perforate music sheet provided with an imperforate border portionhaving print-v ed thereon the Words of a song, so arranged that theinitial Words or syllables composing a measure are lineally alinel witheach other with the corresponding words or syllables of successiveverses, the other Words and syllables of each measure beingprogressively offset both laterally and lineally, whereby confusion ofthe Words of the so erai verses is avoided and the WOI'ClS located tocorrespond with the perforations which produce the notes to which therespective Words are sung.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

FREDERICK C. BILLINGS.

Witnesses Lnvnus'rr G. WHEELER, Irma Bonanza.

